Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 21, 2022
From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 21, 2022
Putin recognizes Ukrainian separatist regions as independent
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his address to the nation at the Kremlin in Moscow, on February 21, 2022. (Alexey Nikolsky/Sputnik/AFP)
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine — a move that will severely ratchet up tensions with the West amid fears that his country could invade Ukraine at any moment and use skirmishes as a pretext for an attack.
Putin’s announcement comes after a meeting of his Security Council and paves the way for Russia to openly send troops and weapons to the long-running conflict pitting Ukrainian forces against Moscow-backed rebels.
A 2015 peace deal ended large-scale fighting, but violence has simmered and has seen a spike in recent weeks amid the wider crisis.
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